10 resume designs that’ll make you want to update yours

In the creative industries, gone are the days of plain text resumes. In this competitive job market, your resume could be the only impression an employer sees of you — unless you impress him or her. Standing out in a good way and showing your personality can land you a job.

The person that is looking at your resume has probably looked through hundreds or even thousands of other ones. 6 seconds is the amount of time, on average for an employer to “skim” through your résumé at first glance. And at that first glance, many of them are tossed out.

Employers throw out resumes at first glance for being too generic (which basically says you are just like everybody else), bland, or for having spelling or factual errors (which shows how much effort and time you spent on creating it). If your resume looks like the example below, then it’s probably safe to assume that it’s been making a living on the bottom of employers’ trash cans.

Relevant information and proofreading for grammar and accuracy are still the most important parts to creating the right foundation for your resume. Having it stand out with awesome visuals is like the cherry on top. Combine your content with your creativity, and you are guaranteed to have to your résumé on top of a pile of hundreds of generic ones.

Here are some awesome examples that we’ve seen floating around the magical world we call the Internet:

So what are the key takeaways for creating a better resume?

1. Use your expertise and let it shine in your resume.

Good at sketching? Show it! Are you great at typography? Prove it. Saying that you are good at something is one thing, but showing it on your resume is another.

Sometimes getting straight to the point and showcasing your skills is what is important. Remember, this is your first impression. Make it count.

2. Tailor the information on your resume to the position you’re applying to.

Don’t forget to include important details that show that you are a good fit for the job. Like I mentioned, creativity is important, but content is still the most important part of your resume.

Applying for a graphic design job but don’t have a lot of design experience yet? Include any experience you have, whether it was a great class project or freelance work for your family. And fill in the blanks by showing off skills you’ve gained from other jobs that could be used in a new position.

3. Add some personality!

Nobody wants to read something that sounds robotic. Recruiters can get a sense of your personality through your résumé. Sure, you want to be professional, but being a little casual is usually okay too. Tell them what you like doing outside of work—recruiters are people too! Be fun, be different!

Have another creative resume that inspires you? Share it in the comments!

I don’t agree with these designers’ choices on how to execute a resume. Most employers want to see the information quickly – neighboring elements such as icons, logos, and images only distract. Keep a clean and simple aesthetic, while maintaing a good sense of design while not trying so hard, and you’ll get the job. Besides, the portfolio is there to showcase your skills, not the resume.